Hammock.



PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

I. B. PALMER.

HAMMOGK.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 22,1904.

Patented April 18, 1905.v

PATENT OEEICE.

ISAAC E. PALMER, CF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT.

HANINIOCKl SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '78 7,633, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed September 22, 1904. Serial N0. 225,513.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, IsAAo E. PALMER, a :itizen of the United States, and a resident of Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new vind useful Hammock, of which the following s a specification.

My invention relates to hammocks, and more particularly to the construction of a hammock stretcher or spreader which shall so coact with the body portion at either one or both ends of the hammock as to form side walls for retaining a pillow or covering which the occupant may iind it desirable to use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of the hammock,at one end thereof, embodying the invention as it appears when in use and Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the spreader.

The body of the hammock is denoted by 1, the suspension-loops at its end by 2,. and the suspension-cords by 3.

At or near the end of the hammock, in the present instance at the end of the hammockbody, a spreader 4 is engaged with the hammock, in the present instance inserted in a pocket in the hammock, which pocket may be conveniently formed by turning over the end of the hammock, as is common. This spreader 4 is provided with upturned ends 5 and 6, and these ends 5 and 6, which form substantial prolongations of the body portion 4 of the spreader, are engaged with the body of the hammock at its opposite edges, so that when the spreader is in position for use, as shown in Fig. 1, the opposite edges of the body of the hammock in proximity to the end thereof are raised in the form of Walls 7 and 8 and are held securely in this position by the ends of the spreader.

It is intended that the body of the spreader 4 shall be substantially straight, or in any event only slightly curved, and shall extend across the hammock and hold it extended in a manner quite similar to that in which the spreaders in common use hold the body of the hammock extended and that the ends 5 and 6 of the spreader shall extend upwardly from the body of the spreader at a pronounced angle, so that the walls 7 and 8, formed by the opposite edges of the body of the hammock engaged with the upturned ends of the spreader, shall be effectual retaining-walls either for holding the head and shoulders of the occupant in position or for holding a pillow, the position of which is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in position against lateral displacement. The side walls also serve as very effective means for holding a blanket orcoverlet in position tucked down between the shoulders or body of the occupant and the l inner sides of the walls. This is especially advantageous where invalidsare placed in the hammock and covered to'protect them Jfrom chill, while leaving them free to breathe the Jfresh air. The turning upward of the side edges of the hammock along the lines of the upturned ends of the spreader also takes more or less of the strain oii the opposite ends of the spreader, as it brings them inwardly, Where the groups of suspension-loops at each of the opposite edges of the hammock serve to combinedly take the strain upon the outer edges of the hammock.

It is obvious that either one or both ends of the hammock may be provided with shallow side walls in the same manner as that hereinabove described with reference to one end of the hammock.

The combination with the body of the hammock, of a spreader provided with a substantially straight portion extending across and engaged with the body for holding the same extended laterally, said spreader having its ends upturned at an abrupt angle to the body portion and engaged with the body of the hammock, for a distance back from its opposite edges to hold the said opposite edges or the hammock-body in position to form side Walls for retaining a pillow in position.

In testimony that I claim the Jforegoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence oi two witnesses, this 14th day of September, A. D. 1904.

ISAAC E. PALMER. 

